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Stories chapter 5: Tell It

Tell It
Commitment Sunday


I Corinthians 3:12-13 “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.”

Legacy stories are told through…

  1. Bold Conviction

2 John 1:2 (NLT) “The truth lives in us and will be with us FOREVER”

Isaiah 40:8 “the grass withers and the flowers fade but the word of the Lord stand FOREVER.”

Matthew 7:26 MSG “But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.”

  1. Godly Character

Romans 8:29 (NLT) “For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to be like His son.”

  1. Eternal Calling

Romans 11:29 “For God’s gifts and His callings are irrevocable.”

  1. Unselfish Commitment

1 Chronicles 28:6-9 (NLT) “He (GOD) said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and it’s courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. 7 And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.”

Hebrews 11:39-40 “All these people are known for their faith, but none of them received what God had promised. 40 God planned to give us something better so that they would be made perfect, but only together with us would they be made perfect.”

Stories chapter 3: Give it

Stories
Chapter 3:
Give it!

Rye Video:

Hebrews 12:2 NKJB “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”

1. Giving is a hard thing

Where does this selfishness come from?

a. Need to feel secure:

b. Need to feel significant:

c. Need to feel satisfied:

2. Giving is a heart thing

John 3:16 “God so loved the world that He gave…”

Romans 5:8 HCSB “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!

Romans 12:1 NCV “since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him.”

2 Corinthians 8:7-8 NLT “Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. 8 I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.

3. Giving is an honor thing

Proverbs 3:9 NIV “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops…”

a. What does God want? All of us.

verse 9 “honor the Lord with your wealth”

b. When does he want it? First thing.

Verse 9b
“with the firstfruits”

Matthew 6:24 NIV “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”


c. How does he want it? From the heart

2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Proverbs 3:10 NIV “then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine”

Luke 6:38 NIV “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Stories chapter 4: Use it

Stories
Chapter 4
Use it

Evans Video

Hebrews 12:2 “Jesus Christ the author and perfecter of our faith.”

Ephesians 5:14-16 “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

1. Fear

Fear of failure:

Fear of rejection:

Fear of the unknown:

2. Laziness

Proverbs 24:30 "I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense.31 I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down.32 Then, as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson:33 A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—34 then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber."

3. Excuses

Luke 14:18-20 “They all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I’ve just bought a field and I must go and see it please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I’ve just bought five yoke of oxen and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married so I can’t come.’”

If we are going to make the most of our stories what will we have to do?

1. Recognize

verse 14Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Relationship with God
Relationship with People

2. Strategize

verse 15 "be very careful how you live not as unwise but as wise"

a. Spontaneously

b. Sporadically

c. Strategically.

3. Utilize

verse 16 “making the most of every opportunity"


Stories chapter 2: See it

Chapter 2
See It!

  1. Step in

2. Step out

3. Step up

Matthew 25:14-30 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.”

1. The story is a trust

verse 14 “entrusted His wealth to them”

I Corinthians 4:7 “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”

2. The story is a test

verse 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Psalm 11:4 “The LORD is in his holy temple; the Lord sits on his throne in heaven. He sees what people do; he keeps his eye on them. The Lord TESTS those who do right, but he hates the wicked and those who love to hurt others.”

verse 23b “You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

Luke 12:20-21 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

3. The story is a temporary assignment

verse 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.”

Romans 14:12 “Yes each of us will give a personal account to God.”

a. The Great White Throne Judgement:

b The Judgement Seat of Christ:

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

I Corinthians 3:12-15 “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”